Improvements of single sheet testers for measurement of 2-D magnetic properties up to high flux density

Due to structural limitation, the currently proposed apparatus based on a single sheet tester (SST) cannot measure magnetic properties along arbitrary directions (so-called 2-D magnetic properties) of silicon steel at high flux densities. In this paper, significant improvements are carried out on magnetizing windings and auxiliary yokes of a double excitation type of SST. Furthermore, crosswise overlapped H-coils are introduced so that even an ordinary single-excitation type of SST can be applicable to the measurements of 2-D properties. It is demonstrated that 2-D magnetization property up to 1.9 T can be measured by using the newly developed SST's</p

Female Preference for Nest Size in the Stream Goby Rhinogobius sp. DA

Females of the stream goby Rhinogobius sp. DA with paternal care favor males courting in fast water currents, whereby they mate males of high parental ability. Here we examined female choice of male nest size of this goby in laboratory. The dichotomous choice experiment clearly indicated that females prefer large nests. Spawning at large nests seems to improve egg survival rates in natural habitats in this goby. We discuss the possibility of multiple criteria in mate choice of this goby

Expression study of cadherin7 and cadherin20 in the embryonic and adult rat central nervous system

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Vertebrate classic cadherins are divided into type I and type II subtypes, which are individually expressed in brain subdivisions (e.g., prosomeres, rhombomeres, and progenitor domains) and in specific neuronal circuits in region-specific manners. We reported previously the expression of <it>cadherin19 </it>(<it>cad19</it>) in Schwann cell precursors. <it>Cad19 </it>is a type II classic cadherin closely clustered on a chromosome with <it>cad7 </it>and <it>cad20</it>. The expression patterns of <it>cad7 </it>and <it>cad20 </it>have been reported previously in chick embryo but not in the developing and adult central nervous system of mammals. In this study, we identified rat <it>cad7 </it>and <it>cad20 </it>and analyzed their expression patterns in embryonic and adult rat brains.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Rat cad7 protein showed 92% similarity to chick cad7, while rat cad20 protein had 76% similarity to <it>Xenopus </it>F-cadherin. Rat <it>cad7 </it>mRNA was initially expressed in the anterior neural plate including presumptive forebrain and midbrain regions, and then accumulated in cells of the dorsal neural tube and in rhombomere boundary cells of the hindbrain. Expression of rat <it>cad20 </it>mRNA was specifically localized in the anterior neural region and rhombomere 2 in the early neural plate, and later in longitudinally defined ventral cells of the hindbrain. The expression boundaries of <it>cad7 </it>and <it>cad20 </it>corresponded to those of region-specific transcription factors such as <it>Six3</it>, <it>Irx3 </it>and <it>Otx2 </it>in the neural plate, and <it>Dbx2 </it>and <it>Gsh1 </it>in the hindbrain. At later stages, the expression of <it>cad7 </it>and <it>cad20 </it>disappeared from neuroepithelial cells in the hindbrain, and was almost restricted to postmitotic cells, e.g. somatic motor neurons and precerebellar neurons. These results emphasized the diversity of <it>cad7 </it>and <it>cad20 </it>expression patterns in different vertebrate species, i.e. birds and rodents.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Taken together, our findings suggest that the expression of <it>cad7 </it>and <it>cad20 </it>demarcates the compartments, boundaries, progenitor domains, specific nuclei and specific neural circuits during mammalian brain development.</p

Spectral Properties near the Mott Transition in the One-Dimensional Hubbard Model

Single-particle spectral properties near the Mott transition in the one-dimensional Hubbard model are investigated by using the dynamical density-matrix renormalization group method and the Bethe ansatz. The pseudogap, hole-pocket behavior, spectral-weight transfer, and upper Hubbard band are explained in terms of spinons, holons, antiholons, and doublons. The Mott transition is characterized by the emergence of a gapless mode whose dispersion relation extends up to the order of hopping t (spin exchange J) in the weak (strong) interaction regime caused by infinitesimal doping.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figure

The Role of Alpha-Dystrobrevin in Striated Muscle

Muscular dystrophies are a group of diseases that primarily affect striated muscle and are characterized by the progressive loss of muscle strength and integrity. Major forms of muscular dystrophies are caused by the abnormalities of the dystrophin glycoprotein complex (DGC) that plays crucial roles as a structural unit and scaffolds for signaling molecules at the sarcolemma. α-Dystrobrevin is a component of the DGC and directly associates with dystrophin. α-Dystrobrevin also binds to intermediate filaments as well as syntrophin, a modular adaptor protein thought to be involved in signaling. Although no muscular dystrophy has been associated within mutations of the α-dystrobrevin gene, emerging findings suggest potential significance of α-dystrobrevin in striated muscle. This review addresses the functional role of α-dystrobrevin in muscle as well as its possible implication for muscular dystrophy

Single sheet tester having open magnetic path for measurement of magnetostriction of electrical steel sheet

A single sheet tester having closed magnetic path (a closed type of SST) has a problem that measurement accuracy of magnetostriction is considerably affected by electromagnetic force between specimen and yoke. Therefore, an open type has been developed. In order to get uniform flux distribution in a sufficiently large region, a compensating magnetizing winding is installed, and a method of waveform control is investigated, in which applied voltages to main and compensating windings are adjusted individually. The effectiveness of the newly developed open type is demonstrated by measuring magnetostrictions of thin amorphous sheet as well as highly grain-oriented silicon steel sheet</p